1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP). More particularly, the present invention relates to a PDP structured to realize a high efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) is a display device which excites phosphors with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) rays radiated from plasma obtained through a gas discharge, and displays desired images by visible light generated by the excited phosphors. As the PDP allows a wide screen with a high resolution, it has been spotlighted as a future generation flat panel display.
A three-electrode surface-discharge PDP is an example of a general PDP. In the three-electrode surface discharge PDP, display electrodes are formed on a front substrate by pairs, and address electrodes are formed on a rear substrate spaced apart from the front substrate. A space between the front and rear substrates is partitioned by barrier ribs so as to form a plurality of discharge cells. A phosphor layer is formed in the discharge cells and a discharge gas is contained therein.
Whether a discharge cell is to be discharged or not is determined by an address discharge between the address electrode and one of the display electrodes. A sustain discharge in which an image is actually displayed is achieved by the display electrodes formed on the same plane. That is, in such a PDP, the address discharge is realized as an opposed discharge, and the sustain discharge is realized as a surface discharge.
Such PDPs display an image through several stages of discharge in which the efficiency is not perfect at each stage, so that the luminescence efficiency become substantially lowered. In particular, since the sustain discharge is realized as a surface discharge, a higher is voltage is required than in the case of an opposed discharge.
The efficiency of a PDP is defined as a ratio of luminescence with respect to power consumption. Therefore, in order to enhance the luminescence efficiency of a PDP, the power consumption must be reduced or the luminescence must be increased. Increasing the luminescence typically involves an increase in consumption of a current. However, when a current or a voltage supplied to a PDP increases, it generally reduces efficiency, and in addition thereto, it increases production cost of a display device supplied with a PDP since expensive parts must be employed.
Reducing power consumption (in particular, decreasing the supplied voltage) is generally regarded as an effective way of enhancing the luminescence efficiency and improving the manufacturing characteristics of a PDP.
The above information disclosed in this section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.